Silence filled the chamber.
Not peaceful—
Controlled.
"…"
Blaine remained exactly where he was.
Still.
Weak.
Broken.
At least—
That's what it looked like.
Inside—
Everything was moving.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The fragment he devoured—
Was still there.
Unstable.
Heavy.
Foreign.
But useful.
"…"
He didn't rush it.
Didn't force it.
Because now—
He understood.
Not all power should be taken at once.
Some—
Had to be shaped.
Controlled.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The human returned.
"Still alive."
A calm voice.
Almost amused.
"…"
Blaine didn't respond.
His breathing remained shallow.
Weak.
The man stepped closer.
Eyes narrowing slightly.
"…you're quieter than the others."
A pause.
"…they usually panic by now."
"…"
Because they were weaker.
Less aware.
Less dangerous.
"…"
The man crouched slightly.
Closer.
Observing.
"…interesting."
His hand lifted—
And pressed lightly against Blaine's shoulder.
A test.
A probe.
The suppression field pulsed stronger.
[Suppression Increased]
"…"
Pain spread instantly.
Sharp.
But Blaine—
Didn't react.
Not even slightly.
The man's eyes sharpened.
"…no response?"
A pause.
"…either you're broken…"
"…or you're pretending."
Silence.
"…"
Blaine remained still.
But inside—
The Devourer Path stirred.
Because now—
The man was close.
Close enough.
"…"
But not yet.
Not now.
Too early.
The man stood again.
"…we'll see how long that lasts."
He turned.
Moved toward the far side of the room.
Adjusting something.
A device.
The source of suppression.
"…"
Blaine observed everything.
Position.
Distance.
Timing.
Pattern.
The pulse—
Every few seconds—
It weakened.
Just slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But consistent.
"…"
That was the key.
Not brute force.
Timing.
The man spoke again.
"…do you know what makes you valuable?"
No response.
"…not your strength."
A pause.
"…your adaptability."
"…"
So—
He noticed.
Good.
That meant—
He was cautious.
But also—
Interested.
And interest—
Made people careless.
"…"
The man continued.
"…I've seen different systems."
"…growth types… enhancement types…"
"…but yours—"
A pause.
"…it changes."
Silence.
"…"
Blaine's eyes remained half-closed.
But his mind—
Focused.
So—
He wasn't just guessing.
He knew something.
That made him more dangerous.
"…"
Then—
A shift.
A small one.
The suppression pulse—
Dropped.
For a fraction of a second.
That moment—
Blaine moved.
Not visibly.
Not fully.
Just enough.
The fragment inside him reacted.
He pushed it outward—
Toward the chains.
Toward the suppression field.
And devoured—
Again.
"—!"
Pain surged violently.
Stronger than before.
Because this time—
He took more.
Too much.
[Warning: Instability Rising]
His body trembled slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But enough.
The man turned instantly.
"…hmm?"
His eyes locked onto Blaine.
Sharp.
Focused.
"…"
For a moment—
Everything froze.
Then—
The man stepped closer.
Slow.
Careful.
"…so it's the second option."
A faint smile appeared.
"…you're pretending."
"…"
Blaine didn't move.
Didn't react.
But inside—
The pressure built.
The fragment—
Expanding.
Cracking.
Breaking the suppression—
From within.
Not enough to escape—
Yet.
But enough—
To prepare.
The man stopped right in front of him.
Close.
Too close.
"…let's test something."
His hand lifted again—
Reaching toward Blaine's face.
"…"
This was it.
Not escape.
Not yet.
But the beginning.
Because now—
He had confirmed it.
The suppression—
Could be devoured.
And once it broke—
Everything would change.